


and we could run away

by thankyouforexisting



Category: Eerie Crests (Webcomic)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Angst, Depression, Leaving Home, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, mentions of abuse, teenagers in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 14:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10641978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thankyouforexisting/pseuds/thankyouforexisting
Summary: One of the days of summer, with the ever-present buzz of insects and the heat of the scorching sun raining down on their skin mercilessly, Malek and Dallas go to the pond.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jellyfishfrost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellyfishfrost/gifts).



> hey so this is something i wrote bc eerie crests is an amazing webcomic and its a crime that theres no more fanfic for it. you should all check it out its gorgeous!  
> its not really a fic? more like a quiet time for two bois  
> Title from Mountains by Message to Bears

One of the days of summer, with the ever-present buzz of insects and the heat of the scorching sun raining down on their skin mercilessly, Malek and Dallas go to the pond.

 

The pond isn’t really much of a pond (but Dallas isn’t really much of a person, is he?); more like a small lump of seagreen water, surrounded by dying vegetation and moss. No animals live in the pond, no flowers grow there. The only sounds come from a nearby children’s park; the squeak that the hinges of an old swingset makes, stray laughter, scattered cries for a father, “Daddy, daddy!” (Dallas closes his eyes).

 

There’s a wooden bench in front of the water, worn down and shuddering with every gust of wind. It’s large enough for three people, although there’s a part at the right end that’s blackened and rotting. They don’t sit on the bench. Every centimeter of its surface is shaky enough that splinters would bury under their skin, scratching and hurting, impossible to remove. 

 

(Sometimes Dallas feels like that, too. Almost as if he’s untouchable, with spikes covering him from head to toe, warning off anyone willing to try and get close.  Dallas curls into himself, hides, and fights people every step of the way. So far, only Malek’s been willing to stick it out. Only Malek’s stayed, steady, firm.

 

And now he’s leaving.)

 

Malek yawns, rubbing at his eyes (Dallas can see the bags under his eyes, the wrinkles on his clothes from sleeping on them, the traces of ash floating gently in the air). He leans his back against one of the trees next to the pond, letting out a long breath. His rosy pink tongue peeks out to lick his bottom lip. 

 

“This is nice,” Malek says. He turns to smile at Dallas, bright and brave. 

 

Malek’s smiles take over his entire face. His features all soften, his muscles relax. Malek’s lips curl in the same way a flower blooms; slowly, gently, and so beautifully that it seems dangerous to even move, lest it break. Malek’s smiles are abundant, especially now that Dallas can barely summon one himself. They tenderly try to bring light into everything they do, warming his chest. Malek’s smiles cut off Dallas’s breathing.

 

But… Dallas wants Malek to just - to stop smiling, so much. He wishes Malek would let himself be miserable openly, wouldn’t just shrug and grin after being beat by the  _ asshole _ his aunt dares to call her  _ boyfriend _ . (Wouldn’t show up with bruises on his face in the middle of the night, coughing up blood they way his dad did). Dallas is scared of Malek’s coping mechanisms, of the things he doesn’t say, replacing them with reassuring smiles.

 

(Dallas is scared of how Malek’s smiles make his heart stutter.)

 

“I guess,” Dallas murmurs, legs folded against his chest. His chin rests on his knees. A fresh, quick breeze makes him wrap his arms tighter around himself. It might be summer, but the chill never truly goes away. “What are we doing here, again?”

 

“We’re relaxing,” Malek tells him, smirking slightly. He bumps their shoulders together with gentleness, bare skin against bare skin. Dallas swallows, not daring to meet his eyes. “Taking a well deserved break.”

 

“Oh?” He keeps his gaze on the floor. A ladybird is carefully walking on a dry leaf, munching on the last pieces of green that are left. “Maybe you should take less breaks on ponds, and sleep more. Or do you have to study to get into your top school? Damn, I forgot. You already have a scholarship.”   
  


Dallas doesn’t mean for it to come as bitter as it does (he  _ doesn’t _ ). He even left home today - tired, frustrated, feeling like his whole body was fighting him once more - reminding himself not to mention the college issue. But it was inevitable, and a part of him knows it, despite how much it frustrates the hell out of him. Dallas hasn’t managed to think about anything else ever since it was brought up, ever since he realized Malek is leaving, too. 

 

Poppy would kick his ass for making Malek feel bad about his decision. He’s well aware of that (he’s well aware of the fact that he’s a jerk. Poppy probably can’t wait to stop pretending to be his friend once Malek’s gone). 

 

“Dallas…” Malek’s voice sounds strangled. He rubs at his cheeks, sighing tiredly. “You know I -”

 

“Yeah, whatever,” Dallas whispers. Apologies or explanations won’t make it better. Half-hearted excuses will make it worse.

 

“Just wanted us to spend some time together,” Malek murmurs. 

 

_ Before I leave _ . Malek doesn’t say it, but Dallas hears it pounding inside his head, speeding up his heart. All of their moments together now have a timestamp sewn onto them, branding every second without fail:  _ 5 weeks before he leaves, 2 weeks before he leaves _ . 

 

Malek is beautiful (so much that it tears Dallas in two, so certainly that it makes him flush and fear his own body), but it hurts to look at him.

 

“... Okay.” Dallas doesn’t want to argue. Not consciously, anyway. “Any fascinating plan you have for entertaining us?”

 

“Being with you is entertaining,” Malek teases, smiling again. There’s something hesitant about him, though. “W-we can leave, if you want.”

 

He makes a move as if to stand up - leans his back forward, clutches the ground tighter to push himself up - and Dallas doesn’t think (Not consciously, anyway). 

 

Dallas grabs Malek’s arm, throat closing up. His friend turns to look at him with surprise colouring his face, blinking. The sun hits directly behind Malek’s back, and he  _ shines _ against the background, in a way that requires no light. Just the glint of his eyes, the cute tilt of his head as his mouth drops open in question.

 

“N-no.” Dallas swallows. “I want to stay.”

 

Malek’s skin is warm to the touch. Dallas shivers (there’s no blaming it on the cold this time, Dallas). 

 

For a second, everything is still.

 

Then, Malek lets himself fall on the ground again, huffing. He ruffles Dallas’s hair in amusement, but doesn’t do anything to release his arm from his hold. 

 

“I guess we’ll stay, then,” Malek says.

 

They don’t let go of each other.

 

(Dallas fears that he might have to).

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> THE COMIC IS GORGEOUS PLS READ IT  
> Kudos and Comments are appreciated <3


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